“How wonderful that no one need wait a single moment to improve the world.”

Wow do you deliver and absolutely nothing shows that any better than the very first week of class at Georgia’s medical school. We talked last week about what was coming, but this week essentially is always one where reality exceeds even great expectations. When 190 members of our Class of 2019 broke bread together Monday and 40 members did the same in Athens Thursday, it was nothing short of inspirational and we thank again our Alumni Association for helping make it such. Our 2010 graduate, Dr. Matthew Rudy, now an emergency medicine doc right here in Augusta, no doubt helped make our students feel instantly at home down this way. “All of us have been there, done that, we were sitting where you are, the struggles and excitement that you are facing right now are the same ones we faced,” said Dr. Rudy, who chairs the Alumni Association Alumni/Student Committee. He promised the support of the Alumni Association now and throughout the no-doubt illustrious careers of the next generation of physicians who we are privileged to call our students. Dr. Leslie Lee, Interim Campus Dean at our Medical Partnership Campus in Athens, also thanked the Alumni Association for their support.

For Our Amazing Cause…

Our Dr. Buffi Boyd, Alumni Association President, who followed Dr. Rudy, joked that he had stolen her thunder (and speech). With great respect to both, we say: Absolutely no way could anybody steal your thunder, Dr. Boyd. This urologist practicing in super Savannah is an articulate and passionate advocate for her medical school who, of course, could not resist making an early pitch for our amazing Southeast Campus down her way where our students can live and learn as juniors and seniors. She shared with our students that, just like their medical school, their fellow alums would be there for them always. “The depth of study that you will need to commit yourself to is deep, but you will be rewarded by becoming the next generation of great physicians that come from the Medical College of Georgia.” No doubt, Dr. Boyd. And no question, the roots are deep. Dr. George Miller, from the Class of 1961 who practiced dermatology for more than 50 years, brought his student ID from his first year to share with the students having lunch together in Athens yesterday. Very cool.

You Give Your Time… And Passion

Dr. Boyd also shared with our newest students that they will work, study – and likely play – hard and they will build absolutely lasting bonds with those who gathered for the first time Monday. Dr. Sam Richwine, MCG Foundation President and another remarkably dedicated alumn, made the same observations and offered encouraging remarks to our new medical students in Athens yesterday. Both Drs. Boyd and Richwine noted the super cool fact that our Alumni Association sponsors these great events as they come in the door, Hooding as they prepare to finish up, and all sorts of great stuff in between. Many of you may already know this, but our Alumni Association even has great programs that help students hook up with alums in cities where they are looking for a residency and our class presidents go to association meetings. No doubt as well that our Alumni Association is there for our students as well as our already alums. Thank you again for that and for so much more.

And the Results… Tell the Tale

As he looked over the new class, Vice Dean Paul Wallach was truly beaming. “First of all academically, you are great, terrific academic records, tests scores, you make MCG proud,” he said. We told you last week that this class comes to us from 59 academic institutions. Dr. Wallach further shared that the vast majority of students comes from this handful of really great schools: 88 are graduates of the University of Georgia, 29 from Georgia Tech, 22 from Emory University, and four from our very own GRU. Lots of other great schools were also represented at those tables Monday and we are so proud to say those students now represent our medical school. We are certain they will make us proud. Thanks so much again to our Admissions Office and Admissions Committee for their hard work and success.

Like Great Alums… Who Ensure the Great Legacy of Your Medical School

Finally today, as you likely know, the late Dr. J. Harold Harrison, a 1948 graduate, a pioneering vascular surgeon and super cattle rancher, and his wife Sue have shared so much with us and with countless generations of physicians – and patients and families – to come. They gave $10 million for the amazing educational building we occupied early this year and an additional $66 million that is providing ongoing support for student scholarships and endowed chairs for faculty. Dr. Harrison exemplifies MCG and its awesome alums. He was a great physician and surgeon by his nature and his training and a great human being. We keep hoping that if we talk about him enough, we will find sufficient words to thank him and his family. For now, we are just so pleased that the entire Class of 2019, which includes our dozen new Harrison Scholars, will serve him, his profession and his medical school, ever so well. We also look forward with great enthusiasm to the first J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Distinguished Chair, Dr. Alan Herline, who will be joining us soon.

Upcoming Events

Aug. 21 – Professionalism Forum, 9 a.m.-noon, Christenberry Fieldhouse on the Summerville Campus is an opportunity for all first-year students in the university’s professional programs to get together and learn more about professionalism in the health sciences. Sponsored by the GRU Division of Enrollment and Student Services.

Aug. 22 – The Richmond County Medical Society Leadership Program, Essential Tools for 21st Century Physicians, The Snelling Center at Edgar’s Grill in Augusta, Registration begins at 8 a.m., conference last from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. To register please visit, http://cmetracker.net/MCG/Login?formname=RegLoginLive&eventID=119772. Accredited for up to 4.75 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 credits. Registration before Aug. 1 is $25, after is $35, onsite is $50.

Sept. 15 – EII in collaboration with the GRU Cancer Center hosts, Career Development 101- Basic Sciences, 8:00AM – 12:30PM in Cancer Research Building, Room CN 1102, on the Health Sciences Campus. The primary goals are to orient junior faculty researchers to the multiple, research-related resources on campus, provide practical career development strategies, and foster connections among research faculty. RSVP to Lisa Middleton by Aug. 26.